7. Types of facilitation activities
• Activities to facilitate communication
• Activities to facilitate content
• Activities to facilitate study skill development
Communication
ContentSkills
8. Activities to facilitate communication
• Promote a positive learning environment
• Engage and activate students
• Establish lecturer and student rapport
• Engage students in peer to peer interaction
• Identify student strengths
9. For example…
Find someone who…
• Students complete a grid of facts by finding a
classmate whose experiences match
Speed dating
• Students communicate three pre-determined facts
about themselves in a fast-paced, high-engagement
activity
Matching activity
• Two related ideas (eg. concept and key word) are
placed on two differing coloured cards. Each student
must find their matching partner.
10. • Consolidate understanding of previously taught
subject content through discussion
• Reinforce key concepts through task-based
activities and application
• Identify areas for further teaching and learning
Activities to facilitate content
11. Topic: Management Theory
Task: To construct a timeline of
management theory streams,
theories, theorists and dates.
Outcome: Students discussed
and negotiated to reach
consensus: classical approaches,
while outdated and not as widely
used today, were the roots of
behavioural and modern theories.
For example
12. Activities to facilitate study skills
• Strategize the organisation and application of
knowledge
• Promote critical thinking skills by breaking
down concepts into parts and reconstructing
• Practice and transfer skills across subjects
13. For example…
Skill: Argument development
Task: To map an argument based on a
premise and a conclusion.
Terms for discussion: valid/invalid
Outcome: Students
discussed the
difference between a
valid and invalid
argument and practiced
with examples.
14. Activity structure
The elements of a successful activity include:
1. An ice-breaker or energizer
2. Introduction – grouping of students, framing and
modelling the activity
3. Body – students undertake activity with guidance
from the facilitator. Use questioning techniques
to guide students to expected outcome
4. Conclusion – share thoughts on the learning
experience as a whole group
Create positive learning environments
Achieved through cooperative group learning opportunities where learning outcomes are shared between a group (whole class, small dynamic grouping or
Create independent learners
By combining subject content and study skill development, learners develop transferrable skills. Problem solving tasks promote critical thinking skills by breaking down concepts into parts and reconstructing to understand their contribution to the whole picture.
Assist student retention and progression
Engage and support learning needs by complementing subject lectures with activities that reinforce learning objectives. Allow for students to work to their strengths and work on their weaknesses.
Cooperative group learning opportunities where the learning is participatory and the outcomes are shared is an effective way of creating a positive learning environment .
Pair work, dynamic grouping and whole-class problem solving activities allow for peer-to-peer engagement through discussion and application of knowledge.
Facilitation is complementary to other classroom activities and forms of interaction, not a substitution.
Designing activities that integrate both study skills and subject content will promote learning beyond the classroom.
Study skills can be transferred to other subjects, as can attitude to learning and confidence.
The evidence shows that students who attended peer-facilitated study sessions on a regular basis, were less likely to have a poor outcome for their subject.
This result was consistent to variable degrees across all faculties at the University of Wollongong.
These types of activities are not mutually exclusive, facilitation activities will ideally combine facets of all three.
Communication activities (or ice-breakers) are most useful in the early weeks of a term where the tone is set for future weeks.
Promote a positive learning environment
Students have the opportunity to become familiar with their classmates in an enjoyment-based activity. This will be encourage high participation in discussion and problem-based activities.
Establish lecturer and student rapport
Activities can assist in the learning students’ names and establishing rapport.
Engage students in peer to peer interaction
Students are able to both assist and be assisted by their peers based on previous knowledge and skills.
Identify student strengths and weaknesses
Ice-breakers enable the session facilitator to identify student leaders for dynamic grouping in later activities.
